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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 7h

NEW: Large wildfires in England were up 93% by the end of August 2026. New government data published today shows 468 fires over 10,000m², compared with 243 over the same period in 2025. Fire services had also deployed a record 12,125 appliances. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 10h

Indigenous-led early dry-season burning in North Kimberley has been followed by fewer and smaller destructive wildfires. Researchers found a dramatic fall in large fires and a ~50% reduction in large-fire size, likely reflecting improved intensive fuel management. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 13h

All 15 UK National Park Authorities acknowledge that nature recovery can increase vegetation fuel loads while long-term benefits develop. The MA says wildfire assessments must weigh the risks of managing vegetation and leaving it unmanaged. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Defra wants first-hand evidence from people who take part in grouse shooting days. Guns, beaters, flankers, pickers-up and dog handlers can answer with specific, honest details about their role and experience. The Call for Evidence closes on 1 November 2026. Read our short guide - link in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

The CLA is calling for controlled burning reform and better-equipped wildfire crews. @farminguk.bsky.social reports that 12 of 22 fire services supplying relevant equipment data had no specialist wildfire protective clothing. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

A licence never applied for cannot appear in refusal statistics. Natural England received no applications for SPAs where a 1 October release delay was expected. That does not prove why nobody applied, but it shows why refusal figures tell only part of the story. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The UK's National Parks now say nature recovery will add fuel to the landscape for years before it makes that landscape more resilient to fire. Mature woodland and rewetted ground should help in time. Those habitats take many years to establish, and fuel loads rise in the meantime.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Black grouse lifting during a drive in the Northern Pennines, safely flying over the guns.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Changing grouse-moor management can change grazing, predator control and vegetation management too. The RSPB says its published reserve bird data are not appropriate for trend analysis. We have asked what evidence it uses instead. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

REVEALED: England’s planned wildfire risk programme was never implemented. More than half of fire services surveyed also had no specialist wildfire PPE. We need prevention as well as response: land managers must be able to reduce fuel loads through controlled burning, cutting and grazing.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

NEW: The Conservatives have announced plans to abolish Natural England and the Environment Agency. They would be replaced by a “more streamlined regulatory landscape to protect our environment”, alongside wider moves to streamline nature regulation.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Peak District farmer Geoff Eyre says more than 30 years of restoration taught him that peat recovery and wildfire prevention must go together. He regenerated over 4,500 acres and developed “cool burning” to manage heather while protecting the moss layer. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

UK wildfires have already released around 1.4 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2026. Natural England’s long-standing estimate for annual emissions associated with controlled burning on England’s upland peat is around 260,000 tonnes. That means wildfire emissions this year are already more than 5× higher.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

After one of Wales’ most significant wildfire seasons, the Wales Wildfire Board says controlled burning “remains an important land management tool” when undertaken responsibly. Its #BurnToProtect message: wildfire prevention starts long before a fire begins.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Courtesy of the Northern Pennines Moorland Group. Beating on a grouse moor isn’t always glamorous. Difficult ground, deep bogs and plenty of opportunities to get wet. This beater found one the hard way — knee deep. At least it wasn’t waist deep. Just another day on the moor!

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Natural England refused SSSI consent or imposed conditions you dispute? Owners and occupiers can appeal, normally within two months of its notice. Our new guide explains the deadline and how to prepare your case. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Next Thursday morning the Government is publishing figures covering wildfire incidents in England from April 2010 to August 2026. The data will include the number and size of wildfire incidents, fatalities, casualties, and fire-and-rescue resources used in responding to them.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Interesting letter on the use of controlled burning in recent Private Eye:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The Fire Brigades Union is calling for a UK-wide wildfire strategy, specialist training and better equipment. The forthcoming wildfire summit is a chance to examine both emergency response and prevention - including how landscapes are managed before fires start.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

FireInSite offers free, five-day forecasts of how wildfire could behave in UK vegetation. Compare different fuels under the same weather forecast, then check the predictions against conditions on your ground. Early testing is limited. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Yet another article about wildfires that focusses solely on response, with not one word about reducing the risk through managing fuel loads. Prevention seems to have been discounted entirely, with efforts and funds being directed toward fighting rather than avoiding wildfires.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The £79m for trees and local nature recovery is a sensible response to this summer's drought. It would go further if land managers were named among those delivering it, and if upland fuel management sat alongside rewetting. Drought dries out heather as well as rivers.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Wind, air pressure, temperature and rain all shape a day's grouse shooting. For the Northern Pennines Moorland Group yesterday, it was fog. Their keepers had to judge whether to hold on or cancel, and when it was safe to go ahead.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Gamekeepers counted 46 merlin fledglings on the North York Moors this summer, up from 27 in 2025. The 70% rise brings the count close to its eight-year average of around 45. The survey covers over 90% of the park’s moorland. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A record 1,350 wildfires in England and Wales in 2026, the BBC reports. The Moorland Association argues that firefighting investment must be matched by work to reduce vegetation fuel through appropriate burning, cutting and grazing. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Heather honey is thick and jelly-like until stirred, making it harder to extract from the comb. As flowering ends, beekeepers are taking their hives off the Dales moors. Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group shares a look at the processing.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Beaters, flankers and pickers-up can tell Defra what days on the moor mean to them through Question 29 of its gamebird Call for Evidence. Our guide explains how to describe your own experience, including benefits or drawbacks. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Summer moorland wildfires have burned up to 20 cm into peat in some areas, researchers report. The MA argues that reducing vegetation fuel through controlled burning, cutting and grazing should work alongside rewetting. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Courtesy of the Northern Pennines Moorland Group: Stunning, thriving, functioning bogs across our managed moorlands. Despite what the critics would have you believe, this is a very common sight across North Pennine Moors.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Defra welcomes estate records in its gamebird Call for Evidence. Two or three well-supported answers can still be useful. Our guide explains what to include and how to submit. Deadline: midnight, 1 November 2026. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Almost half now name wildfire among the UK’s most pressing climate impacts, up from 13% two years earlier. Polling involving more than 2,000 people puts it ahead of flooding. The Moorland Association wants greater priority for prevention, including managing vegetation and fuel loads.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The @nature.org says fire suppression brought declining wildlife and greater wildfire risk to New Hampshire’s Ossipee Pine Barrens. It now uses controlled burns to maintain rare habitat and reduce wildfire risk. Carefully managed fire is part of its conservation work. Read more - link in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Defra’s gamebird Call for Evidence asks about effects on Red List species. Curlew has been on the UK Red List since 2015. That is why we are revisiting a 2023 study: 1.05 fledglings per pair on keepered grouse moors, against 0.27 without predator control. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Letter from Dave Russel, Chief Fire Officer for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, expressing immense gratitude to the Peak District Moorland Group and individual gamekeepers for their tireless work dealing with some atrocious wildfires this summer.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The @libdems.org.uk new wildfire policy specifically includes grazing, removal of excess vegetation and firebreaks alongside peatland restoration and rewetting. The Moorland Association has consistently called for active land management to play a role in wildfire prevention. Link in replies.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Defra's gamebird Call for Evidence has 30-plus questions. Everyone must answer Q1–6, but you can focus the rest on what you know. Our route finder matches bird records, habitat work and wildfire experience to the relevant questions. Deadline: 1 November. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Only four of 189 soil sensors exceeded 70°C during eight carefully managed prescribed burns, despite vegetation temperatures topping 1,000°C. Researchers found no below-ground organic matter loss in the fires studied. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Indonesia’s wildfires have burnt nearly 896,000 hectares. The BBC reports 175,000 respiratory cases since August, including more than 40,000 involving toddlers. A warning of the human cost of wildfire and the importance of managing fuel loads before fires start.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

We’ve published our draft response to Defra’s gamebird Call for Evidence, together with evidence and guidance for estates making their own submissions. You can comment by 16 Oct. We’ve also produced guidance to help you submit your own evidence to Defra by 1 November. Read more - link in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Courtesy of Nidderdale Moorland Group: It was great to speak with our local MPs, Robbie Moore and Julian Smith alongside North Yorkshire councillors at a packed Nidderdale Show. Thank you all for taking the time to stop by our stand.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The Guardian highlights the damage this summer’s wildfires have caused to important bird habitats. Hot, dry weather raises risk, but fuel loads matter too. Appropriate burning, cutting and grazing can reduce fuel and help stop an ignition developing into a severe wildfire.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

We have asked the RSPB to explain what its published reserve bird data can reliably show. Gaps and uncertainties over comparability mean we are not drawing conclusions from the figures. The request forms part of our work for Defra’s Call for Evidence. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

EFRA Chair Alistair Carmichael MP asks Defra the real question: rewetting takes decades, what reduces fuel load next year? Defra relies on cutting, but cutting can't reach steep, remote moorland. We need all practical tools available to prevent catastrophic wildfires.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Vegetation type was the strongest signal in how 206 wildfires across England and Wales behaved. Molinia produced the largest fires; heather burned more severely. Wildfires were also smaller on burn-managed ground. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Five golden eagles fledged in southern Scotland this summer; four descend from birds moved south through the restoration project. Beaky Jr is the first project chick fledged from a translocated eagle on a managed grouse moor. Read more - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Yorkshire Dales gamekeepers intervened 128 times between May and August, dealing with BBQs, campfires and vehicle arson before fires could spread across the moors. Read more on our website — link in comments:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

MHCLG’s Gabrielle Edwards admitted to the EFRA Committee that the 2025 burning regulations are too restrictive. She acknowledged that cutting is not a viable alternative to controlled burning in many areas. We welcome the pledge to improve guidance before the next season.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The Welsh Parliament’s own wildfire briefing recognises that resilience requires both wetter landscapes and lower fuel loads, and specifically identifies grazing and controlled burning as vegetation management tools. Read the Senedd’s research briefing - link is in replies:

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

EFRA Chair Alistair Carmichael MP hits the nail on the head. He challenged officials on why they are determined to leave heavy fire fuel loads on the hills. Our gamekeepers fight these wildfires on the frontline. We need policies that respect their expertise and allow cool burning.

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Moorland Association @moorlandassoc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Peatland restoration requires stability checks on slopes. University models show stable peat depth drops from 3.87m on flat ground to 0.27m on a 12° slope. Site-by-site assessment of depth and slope is critical before rewetting. Read summary of study - link is in replies:

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